Virat Kohli is in Perth, Australia, preparing for the IND vs AUS ODI series, which will start from October 19th. Kohli went to Australia as a part of the first batch of the Indian national cricket team.
Amidst this, fans were left outraged over an image where Virat Kohli is shown as signing a Pakistan national cricket team jersey. Users shared it online and speculated on an initiative of change in the behaviour of the Indian cricketers after recent controversies.
A user on X.com, by the username @Shani-7800, shared this photo with a caption that says, “Virat Kohli spotted giving an autograph to a Pakistani fan in Perth, Australia.” Comments on this post were filled with fans, with some criticising the move and some anticipating a step towards restoring relations.
Fact Check
Upon reverse image search, our team landed on the account @RevSportzGlobal, which posted a video of a fan from Karachi, Pakistan, getting his Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) jersey signed by Kohli at around 2 o’clock in the afternoon.
Other fan pages, such as @KohliSensation and @indiacricket.fc, also re-shared this fan moment with a cut-out image of the video.
This fan, as named in the original video, Sahil received autographs and pictures from both Indian cricket legends – Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
However, the image of Virat Kohli signing the RCB jersey was altered to present him as signing the Pakistan national team jersey. Around the main evening hours, the altered image was shared. A comparison image is also provided for deeper insight.
After the recent controversies erupted during the Asia Cup when the IND vs PAK was held, people online were amazed to see such a move. Many anticipated a restoration in the relations and denounced it.
Conclusion
The viral image was fake and baseless. Virat Kohli signed on a RCB jersey, not on a Pakistan jersey.
